> I'm always surprised when people who are otherwise obsessed with productivity (in tech, finance) tell me they enjoy weed because it seems to enable the exact opposite effect.

Cannabis depressant effects are way stronger than its stimulant effects. I have never heard someone being more productive on marijuana. Maybe what they are saying is that it relaxes them and helps them escape that productivity loop.

But I have. I even have friends say it was a relief to use weed again after taking a long break because they were productive again.

I'm largely skeptical of the sativa/indica dichotomy in cannabis but I have found that microdosing a couple of (meaning literally two) small to medium vapor hits in the morning "active" strains can increase my productivity by a lot, increase my ability to experiment by quieting my self-criticism, and even reduce anxiety. It is certainly not magic and lots more studies are needed, but I find it a nice, subtle complement to a cup of coffee on weekends when it is not overused. Note that if you want to try this yourself you should start off super small, as I have a tolerance.

I think I had a comment about this several months ago. But you're somewhat right regarding indica/sativa - most strains these days are hybrids. I don't have any references handy, but there are several types of cannabinoids in marijuana and they all largely get lumped together (unless you end up at a savvy dispensary). Except for CBD anyways, which often gets highlighted more than anything else now.

The amounts/ratios of them largely determine what you experience. But in addition to that, the subjective effects are highly modulated by the NON-cannabinoids components as well - the "terpenes". Terpenes are in many (most?) other plants. For example, linalool (the reason for lavender's smell, which can induce relaxation on its own), or pinene (probably the most common terpene, smells like pine trees and can have stimulant-like effects on its own). My armchair-pharmacologist theory is that THC makes you much more sensitive to the effects of the terpenes.

A lot of...ahem...testing...might need to happen to dial in what works for you. I'm starting to notice (extracted) products with cannabinoid/terpene profiles printed on the labels - which is a great start. Not sure if it's only in this state, though.

Some of the experiences you described are why I switched to CBD rather than THC marijuana. I enjoyed it and now grow and sell CBD hemp flower. It smokes just like you expect marijuana to, but the effects are different (and for some, more pleasant).

It sounds like you're taking it to work and they're taking it to wind down